Comprehensive Guide to Essential Android Development Tools

Developing an Android app isn’t the easiest thing that you’ll ever do. It can be an overwhelming task, especially if you’ve never done it before.

But with that said, using Android development tools can make your life much easier.

Even experienced developers take advantage of tools and resources to help them through the development process. The problem is there is so much information online; it’s tough to know which guide to follow.

That was my inspiration for creating this guide.

Here you’ll be able to find all of the tools and resources you need for Android development in one place. I’ve broken the tools down into four categories:

• Android language resources
• Editors and IDEs for Android development
• Android libraries
• Android plugins

So feel free to navigate to the section you need assistance with. Regardless of your Android development project, there are plenty of tools on this list that will help you out.

Language Resources for Android Development

When you’re developing an app or coding anything for that matter, you need to use a programming language.

I’ll show you the top resources for learning how to code using Java, as well as some other languages like C and C++. I’ve got language resources for Lua and Cordova in here as well.

Java Resources

Java is King when it comes to Android development. Even if you want to use other programming languages, you need to learn how to use Java first.

Java

One of the best ways to learn Java is by going straight to the source. Java has its own development kit that you can download. For those of you who have never used Java before, you’ll want to check out the new to Java programming center.

They have guides and tutorials that will give you an overview on the Java basics and how to get started. You can get Java certifications after completing courses and even have access to resources connecting you with other Java professionals.

Team Treehouse

Team Treehouse is an online learning website. They have tons of different coding resources and courses, but they’re well known for teaching Java.

I like Team Treehouse because all of the courses are on-demand, so you don’t have to be pinned down to a specific class schedule. It’s flexible, so you can learn at your own speed and on your own time.

This resource also has a great network of students who are very supportive of each other. So you can communicate with your peers through the Team Treehouse online community if you need any assistance.

New Boston

The New Boston is a YouTube channel filled with Android development tutorials. There are more than 200 videos on this channel, including some great beginner resources for Java.

Over 2.2 million people have subscribed to The New Boston, so you know that it’s legitimate.

Codecademy

When you navigate to the Codecademy homepage, the first thing you’ll see is two words—Learn Java. That’s about as self-explanatory as it gets.

Nearly two million people have already taken this online course. It takes ten hours to complete, and you don’t need any prerequisites to get started. I like this course because it’s actionable. You’ll end up building seven Java projects yourself before you finish.

Udemy

I can’t talk about online learning resources without bringing up Udemy. They have tons of different categories ranging from marketing to photography and music. But their Java development tools are exceptional as well.

Oracle Java Tutorials

The Oracle Java Tutorials are specifically designed for people who want to use Java to create applications. So it’s definitely more specific than some of the other Java tools.

Oracle has examples and lessons organized into three categories.

• Covering the basics
• Graphical user interfaces
• Specialized lessons

These tutorials are made for both beginners and experts alike. So they will be helpful for any Android developer, regardless of your skill level.

Java Design Patterns (GitHub)

These Java Design Patterns are hosted on GitHub. The patterns are formatted to show programmers the best practices to solve the most common problems when designing an application. The patterns focus on simplicity and only add complexity when absolutely necessary.

Programming by Doing

I think it’s safe to say that the name says it all. Programming by Doing has assignments that teach you Java hands-on. They have been around for more than 15 years.

This resource has been used to train children in public school systems, so I’m sure you won’t have any trouble keeping up with the pace.

Ryan Park Apps Resource List

Ryan Parks is a self-taught Java coder. He created a Google Docs spreadsheet with all of the resources he used to train himself.

Ryan has the spreadsheet organized by category and skill level. He also has a brief description of what you can expect from each resource.

Mkyong

Mkyong has

C++ and C Language Resources

Resource	Features
SoloLearn	80 lessons, 300+ quizzes, covers basic concepts, loops, classes, functions, objects, data types, and more. Used by over 5 million people.
Learn CPP	Free resource for learning C++. Takes time for Android development but provides skills beyond mobile apps.

Truth be told, in my opinion, C and C++ only increases the complexity of mobile app development. You can use them with your Android Native Development Kit to build an Android app.

Although the programming will be more complex with these languages, it doesn’t always translate to optimal app performance. So don’t assume that this route will make your app better.

But with that said, there are still plenty of people who prefer C++ and C. So if you want to learn them or need some help with a project, these are the two best resources for you to use.

DroidEdit vs Eclipse

Feature	DroidEdit	Eclipse
Platform	Android	Android, Java
Best For	Editing code on mobile devices	Coding with Java
Customization	Highly customizable themes	Requires plugins for non-Java languages
Usage	Mobile applications	Experienced developers

DroidEdit is a source code and text editor for Android development. It can be applied to all Android platforms, including mobile applications. The best part about DroidEdit is that you can change code directly from your mobile device, which is ideal if something is urgent and you’re away from your computer.

The tool is extremely powerful and has highly customizable themes for editing to accommodate your visual preferences as well.

Eclipse

Eclipse was the official Android IDE before Android Studio. It’s best for coding with Java, but if you’re an experienced developer, you can also use it for other programming languages. If you’re going to use anything other than Java on Eclipse, you’ll need to install some plugins to make it possible.

Android IDE

Android IDE has more than two million downloads. It’s an interactive way for you to learn the programming for coding your own mobile app. It supports CSS, HTML, and JavaScript.

It’s great for anyone who wants to learn Java skills and Android development. Aside from mobile apps, you can use this tool to build your own website as well. Android IDE is compatible with Android Studio and Eclipse. It also has Git and Dropbox integration.

Corona

We talked about Corona earlier when we covered Lua programming language resources. But this two-dimensional cross-platform development tool can be used to create your mobile app. It’s recommended for gaming apps, but versatile enough for other types of apps as well.

As I said before, one of the best parts about Corona is that it’s 100% free.

Cordova

Cordova is a free and open source editor. You can build mobile apps with JavaScript, CSS, and HTML. It’s a great option for creating hybrid apps with just one base code.

All you need to do is install Cordova, create a new project, add your platform, and run the app. The resource takes you through what you need do at each phase.

CppDroid

CppDroid has over 1.5 million installations. This resource lets you edit, compile, execute, and code using C and C++. It has tons of features like syntax highlighting and practice courses. CppDroid is helpful, but it’s not updated that frequently, which is definitely worth noting.

Xamarin

Xamarin is a product from Microsoft’s visual studio. With this tool, you can create native apps for Android, iOS, and Windows using a shared .net code base. It uses the C programming language.

Part of this resource is free and open source, but there are some other pricing options if you want to upgrade.

Appcelerator

Appcelerator lets you write in JavaScript to run a native app. It’s made for cross-platform development without going hybrid. The top features include:

• IDE and Titanium SDK
• App designer
• Hyperloop
• API builder
• API runtime
• Mobile backend services

You can start off using a free trial, so it’s worth giving a try.

Android Library Resources

In the context of software development, libraries are collections of data that can handle graphic effects, manage rules for app behavior, communication protocols, prewritten code, text, templates, and more.

Usually, libraries are organized by a topic of specific activity. For the most part, developers are pretty open with their work to help others in the development community. So there is a good chance that someone has already built a library that you can use.

Alternatively, you can always build your own library by taking pieces of code from other resources. These are the best libraries for you to consider for whatever your goal might be.

Awesome Java

Awesome Java is hosted on GitHub. It’s a curated list of Java frameworks, software, and libraries. The list is extremely extensive, so I won’t even attempt to pick out some of the highlights.

Everything here is well-organized and easy to find, making it one of the best libraries for Android development.

Retrofit

Retrofit is a type-safe HTTP tool for Java and Android development. Basically, it can turn your HTTP API into a Java interface.

Gson

The Gson Java library is used for converting Java objects into JSON. It works with pre-existing objects that don’t have source code. This is extremely helpful, since the majority of open-source JSON conversion tools require Java annotations in classes, which can’t be done without the source code.

It’s also worth noting that Gson supports Java Generics as well.

Universal Image Loader

The Universal Image Loader is one of the top-rated Android libraries on GitHub. This resource is highly customizable, flexible, and powerful, to say the least. It’s a great tool for caching, displaying, and loading images.

You’ll have tons of configuration options and controls throughout the entire loading and caching process. Some of the top features include:

• Asynchronous or synchronous multi-thread image loading
• Thread executors
• Decoder
• Memory and disk cache
• Caching switch
• Stub images
• Listening loading processes

It’s easy to set up and configure the Universal Image Loader as well.

EventBus

The purpose of <a href="https://greenrobot.github.io/EventB

Android Arsenal Libraries vs. Awesome Android Libraries

Feature	Android Arsenal Libraries	Awesome Android Libraries
Resources	More than 6,500 resources	Varied resources sorted by name, license, and functionality
Organization	Alphabetically and by category	By name, license, and functionality
Maintenance	Not specified	Actively maintained

Android Plugins for Development

Plugins are essential for customizing your coding environment. I can speak from personal experiences when I say that these add-ons will make your life much easier, especially down the road.

But there are so many options to choose from when it comes to plugins. It’s extremely overwhelming. I’d recommend starting with these resources to get your feet wet with Android development plugins.

Genymotion

Genymotion is a testing an emulation tool designed specifically for Android apps. You can run automated tests with unlimited scaling capabilities, such as parallel testing.

It’s compatible with testing frameworks like Robotium, Appium, and Espresso. The Genymotion cloud works with a CI infrastructure as well.

Another top feature of this plugin is the ability to showcase your app on your website. Its “kiosk mode” lets visitors test your app online without being forced to download it first.

Plugin Collection for IntelliJ

JetBrains has a huge collection of plugins for IntelliJ. There are nearly 10,000 plugins that can be used for IntelliJ IDEA. These are organized into three categories:

• Ultimate
• Community
• Educational

You’ll definitely be able to find something to help you customize your IntelliJ IDE here.

Import Drawables

This plugin is also used for IntelliJ. It lets you import drawables of different resolutions and other functionalities based on the images. Here’s an example what the Import Drawables plugin looks like in-use.

The installation instructions are outlined step by step in the link above, so it’s very easy to for you to get started.

A Curated List of IntelliJ Plugins

This curated list of IntelliJ Plugins was posted on the IntelliJ blog back in April 2015. The author, Andrey Cheptsov, takes you through some different scenarios and use cases for the plugins on this list. Even though the blog was published four years ago, it’s still very relevant when it comes to assisting you with your plugins needs today.

HAXM

HAXM is short for hardware accelerated execution manager. The plugin was developed by Intel and is made for executing Android apps faster for developers who are using SDK emulators.

It’s most commonly used for Android Emulator and QEMU. This plugin runs on the host operating system using a kernel-mode driver.

IDEA Vim

DEA Vim was created by JetBrains. The plugin is based on building your app with IDEs for the IntelliJ platform. Some of the top supported features include:

• Motion keys
• Marks
• Registers
• Visual mode commands
• Macros
• Digraphs
• Command line and search history
• Ex commands

It’s worth noting that jump lists aren’t supported on this plugin just yet, but according to JetBrains, it’s in the works.

Boilerplate Code Generation

This plugin has a very specific feature. As the name implies, Boilerplate Code Generation is used for generating parcelable boilerplate code for IntelliJ.

This screenshot gives you an indication of what it will look like once you start using this plugin.

Folding Plugin

The Folding Plugin is made for grouping files. It’s very helpful throughout the Android development process. All of your files can be displayed as groups in different folders, which makes it easier for you to stay organized.

However, the Folding plugin does not move files or create folders; it simply groups them.

Android Holo Colors

The Android Holo Colors plugin generates different Android components. It provides you with the XML you need for edittext and color spinners in your app.

The plugin makes it easy for you to copy drawables and styles directly into your Android development project.

ButterKnife Injections

If you’re using the ButterKnife library, which we talked about earlier, you’ll definitely want to get the ButterKnife Injections plugin. It’s designed for Android Studio and IDEA. The plugin is made for allowing one-click creations of ButterKnife view injections.

ADB IDEA

The ADB IDEA plugin helps you develop Android apps faster. It has functionalities that will make your life easier. Some of the commands featured in this plugin include:

• Uninstall
• Kill
• Start
• Restart
• Clear data
• Clear data and restart

You can do all of these using the quick operations popup, filtering through actions, or navigating to the menu.

Key Promoter

Key Promoter is an older plugin that’s compatible with Android Studio and IntelliJ IDEA. Powered by JetBrains, the plugin shows you how you can speed up your actions with keyboard shortcuts.

Pros	Cons
Speeds up actions with keyboard shortcuts	Notifications can be obstructive and intrusive

CodeGlance

CodeGlance embeds codemaps into your editor pane. It’s a minimap, which works for light themes and dark themes alike. You can use it for customized colors with syntax highlighting as well.

This plugin is not made for opaque backgrounds.

Android Material Design Icon

Android Material Design Icon comes pre-built into new versions of Android Studio, making it the official icon set for Google. If you’re using an older version of Android Studio and don’t want to update it, you can just install this plugin separately.

It’s one of the best was for you to create an icon that meets the size and resolution specifications that you need.

Conclusion

There you have it. This guide has more than 50 Android development tools all in one place.

I’m confident that there is something for everyone on this list. There are resources for beginners, as well as advanced developers, and everything in between.

Some of the tools on this list are compatible with each other. For example, certain libraries and plugins are designed for specific coding languages and editors. So you’ll want to make sure whatever you’re choosing is compatible with your other tools.

Make sure you save this guide so you can use it as a resource for all of your development needs today, as well as in the future.

What tools are you using to streamline your Android app development process?